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Egyptian Forces Move to Clear Out Pro-Morsi Sit-Ins in Cairo Egyptian Forces Move to Clear Out Pro-Morsi Sit-Ins in Cairo
(about 2 hours later)
CAIRO — The Egyptian authorities moved on Wednesday to clear two camps in Cairo occupied by supporters of the ousted president, Mohamed Morsi, with armored vehicles, bulldozers and helicopters supporting security forces who assailed protesters with tear gas, according to witnesses and television reports. CAIRO — Security forces moved on Wednesday to clear two camps in Cairo occupied by supporters of the ousted president, Mohamed Morsi, deploying armored vehicles, bulldozers, tear gas, snipers and helicopters in a bloody operation that seemed to deepen an already profound gulf in Egyptian society.
Some witnesses spoke of gunfire from shotguns and automatic rifles, and there were unconfirmed reports of dozens of fatalities, including two police officers. Scores of people were arrested, including leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood, news reports said. Witnesses spoke of gunfire from shotguns and automatic rifles as white clouds of tear gas offset plumes of black smoke from burning tires. Protesters arrived at field hospitals with gunshot wounds to the neck and chest. At one location, soldiers were seen firing on a lone protester lobbing rocks from a rooftop. There were reports of dozens of fatalities, including two police officers. Scores of people were arrested, including leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood, news reports said.
Hours after the operation began, the authorities said they had cleared the smaller of two encampments at Nahda Square near Cairo University. Reporters elsewhere in the city said protesters at the larger camp around the Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque in the northeastern suburb of Nasr City were resisting security forces. Hours after the operation began, the authorities said they had cleared the smaller of two encampments at Nahda Square near Cairo University. But protesters at the larger camp around the Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque in the northeastern suburb of Nasr City remained defiant but seemed to be under siege by vastly superior forces seeking to uproot them.
State television showed security forces pushing into the larger camp, The Associated Press reported. Pro-Morsi demonstrators from outside the larger camp, meanwhile, clashed with the police on its approaches, braving waves of tear gas to barricade streets. Some protesters prepared gasoline bombs and broke paving stones to hurl at their adversaries as the confrontation unfolded.
The clashes threatened to further polarize Egyptian society, which is deeply divided between an Islamist movement sustained by the Muslim Brotherhood and secular forces. As news reports spoke of demonstrations spreading to other cities, television footage from the Mediterranean city of Alexandria showed thousands of people taking to the streets to protest the military action in Cairo. The authorities were reported to have suspended rail services in and out of the capital to prevent pro-Morsi demonstrators from regrouping or summoning reinforcements. The clashes reflected the divisions in Egypt between an Islamist movement sustained by the Muslim Brotherhood in support of Mr. Morsi and secular forces who cast the military as protectors. An Egyptian human rights group, the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, said the crackdown had spurred counterattacks by Muslim Brotherhood supporters against Coptic Christian churches in southern Egypt, reflecting a perception among Islamists that the Coptic minority had supported the military’s action in ousting Mr. Morsi in early July.
There were wildly varying estimates of the death toll. The Muslim Brotherhood office in London called the operation a “massacre” and said 30 people had been killed in the siege. Other protest groups in Cairo said 25 people had died, and Egypt’s state news agency reported that two members of the security forces had been shot and killed. The Egyptian Health Ministry said six people had died. As demonstrations spread to other cities on Wednesday, television footage from the Mediterranean city of Alexandria showed thousands of Morsi supporters taking to the streets to protest the military action in Cairo. The authorities were reported to have suspended rail services in and out of Cairo to prevent pro-Morsi demonstrators from regrouping or summoning reinforcements.
Amid the confusion, there were wildly divergent tallies of the death toll. The Muslim Brotherhood office in London called the operation a “massacre” and said 30 people had been killed in the siege. Other protest groups in Cairo said 25 people had died, and Egypt’s state news agency reported that two members of the security forces had been shot and killed. The Egyptian Health Ministry said nine protesters had died.
At one makeshift morgue run by pro-Morsi protesters, the number of dead bodies rose from 3 to 12 in a matter of minutes and at another, Agence France-Press reported, one of its reporters counted 43 bodies.
The coordinated action against the Morsi supporters, which had been expected for days, began around 7 a.m. local time. The protesters are seeking the reinstatement of Mr. Morsi, who became Egypt’s first democratically elected president in 2012 and was deposed by the military six weeks ago. In removing Mr. Morsi, the military also suspended the Constitution and installed an interim government presided over by a senior jurist.The coordinated action against the Morsi supporters, which had been expected for days, began around 7 a.m. local time. The protesters are seeking the reinstatement of Mr. Morsi, who became Egypt’s first democratically elected president in 2012 and was deposed by the military six weeks ago. In removing Mr. Morsi, the military also suspended the Constitution and installed an interim government presided over by a senior jurist.
The thousands of protesters at one camp had built a line of sandbags and walls to shield the area, and witnesses said an army bulldozer had moved in to dismantle it.The thousands of protesters at one camp had built a line of sandbags and walls to shield the area, and witnesses said an army bulldozer had moved in to dismantle it.
Images on Al Jazeera television showed a car ablaze and protesters being treated for bloody injuries. Protesters’ tents appeared to have been razed, and a pillar of black smoke rose above palm trees in one of the areas. The footage showed what appeared to be a gunman firing from a rooftop, but the shooter’s identity was not immediately clear.Images on Al Jazeera television showed a car ablaze and protesters being treated for bloody injuries. Protesters’ tents appeared to have been razed, and a pillar of black smoke rose above palm trees in one of the areas. The footage showed what appeared to be a gunman firing from a rooftop, but the shooter’s identity was not immediately clear.
At Nahda Square, black-uniformed police wearing gas masks and helmets dragged and carried away protesters, the footage showed. At least one of the protesters showed no sign of life as his limp body was loaded into an ambulance. The police seemed to be rounding up protesters in groups as they fled the barrages of tear gas. The footage also showed smoke from burning tires.At Nahda Square, black-uniformed police wearing gas masks and helmets dragged and carried away protesters, the footage showed. At least one of the protesters showed no sign of life as his limp body was loaded into an ambulance. The police seemed to be rounding up protesters in groups as they fled the barrages of tear gas. The footage also showed smoke from burning tires.
State television broadcast images of what it said was a protester firing on security forces with an assault rifle.State television broadcast images of what it said was a protester firing on security forces with an assault rifle.
An Associated Press television video journalist at the larger of the camps at Nasr City said he heard women screaming as a cloud of white smoke hung over the site in eastern Cairo.An Associated Press television video journalist at the larger of the camps at Nasr City said he heard women screaming as a cloud of white smoke hung over the site in eastern Cairo.
Mohamed Soltan, a representative of protesters there, told Al Jazeera that a cameraman working with the protesters had been shot and killed by a sniper while filming on a stage. There was no official confirmation of the shooting.Mohamed Soltan, a representative of protesters there, told Al Jazeera that a cameraman working with the protesters had been shot and killed by a sniper while filming on a stage. There was no official confirmation of the shooting.
According to a recent visitor, the camp in Nasr City was always likely to present the authorities with a greater challenge. Tens of thousands of people have built a well-equipped community there with electricity, Internet access, a hospital, communal kitchens, latrines and showers.According to a recent visitor, the camp in Nasr City was always likely to present the authorities with a greater challenge. Tens of thousands of people have built a well-equipped community there with electricity, Internet access, a hospital, communal kitchens, latrines and showers.
While dozens of people have been killed by the police and the military since the sit-ins began, analysts said, the crackdowns on the protesters seemed to have reinforced their conviction to stay.While dozens of people have been killed by the police and the military since the sit-ins began, analysts said, the crackdowns on the protesters seemed to have reinforced their conviction to stay.
Mr. Morsi is being held at an undisclosed location. The military authorities have taken steps toward his criminal prosecution on charges relating to his activities during the revolution that ousted his predecessor, Hosni Mubarak.Mr. Morsi is being held at an undisclosed location. The military authorities have taken steps toward his criminal prosecution on charges relating to his activities during the revolution that ousted his predecessor, Hosni Mubarak.
While Egyptians broadly consider Mr. Mubarak’s autocracy to have been fundamentally illegitimate, Mr. Morsi is now under investigation for his own escape from political imprisonment and his work in the Islamist political opposition that helped to topple Mr. Mubarak in 2011.While Egyptians broadly consider Mr. Mubarak’s autocracy to have been fundamentally illegitimate, Mr. Morsi is now under investigation for his own escape from political imprisonment and his work in the Islamist political opposition that helped to topple Mr. Mubarak in 2011.

David D. Kirkpatrick reported from Cairo and Alan Cowell from London.

David D. Kirkpatrick reported from Cairo and Alan Cowell from London. Kareem Fahim contributed reporting from Cairo.